Month: March 2018

Pros & Cons of Commercial Composting

This method of composting uses some of the elements listed in 8 Composting Methods; Water, air, biodegradable matter, Bacteria, and some chemicals.
The pros and cons are intermingled because what might be a pro to one person is a con to someone else. Commercial composting is done on a large scale to dispose of material that cannot be easily disposed of in a council tip and that can be produced quickly for commercial use.

It requires

A large commercial area to collect, compost, store, and bag compost

Expensive machinery to move and rotate compost

Infrastructure to collect and bag composted material

A distribution system to on-sell the compost

Different brands use different ingredients so some may be good while others are not so good and often not composted enough before you get to use them.

Commercial compost is excellent for filling a new garden bed or a raised garden bed if you require large quantities, because it is generally cheap and the consistency is mostly the same with each brand.

It does vary with brands so you need to try different brands to find one you like as it may not necessarily be good compost.

It can be cheap or expensive depending on the quality of the ingredients and the manufacturer

Small independent producers usually produce more expensive better compost

Ultimately you can’t beat making your own Compost. You know what goes into it and what you get out of it. No chemicals, no added fertiliser. Therefore if you are growing your own veggies you know what goes into the soil. It is hard to know for sure what is in your food these days if you buy it commercially unless you buy certified organic compost.

Pros & Cons of Combined Compot Composting

Combined Compot composting is similar to trench composting except that it uses all the elements listed in the 8 Composting Methods; especially the Soldier Fly.
The pros and cons are intermingled because what might be a pro to one person is a con to someone else. This method brings with it the same challenges depending on your ability to bend down but the system can be used above ground as well and will be discussed in another post.

You can have as many or as little as you like and use it in whatever manner you like

It is small for a reason – because it is more efficient in this size, nourishing many different parts of your garden without the need to spread compost. The worms do the work for you

You don’t need to wait for everything to decompose. Just keep topping it up

Liquid goes directly into the ground

On the downside – it helps if you can bend down. Otherwise, put the Compot inside raised garden beds.

Seeds can grow from the composted material if you don’t ferment your waste

Yes, you have to dig a hole. But once you have dug that hole you never need to dig another hole unless you want to move it and make more work for yourself. It’s your choice

And nothing to do with composting but the Compot loves Soldier Fly Larvae. Great for your chooks and fish also, if you have them.

Plant one in your chock pen and let the chooks search for the larvae. But don’t ferment your waste in your chook pen. They don’t like the smell.

Propagate green food for you chooks on top of the Compot with the CompotTOP.

Or propagate seeds for yourself in the upturned lid while composting below if you like to grow your own herbs and other things as well

If there is one thing that it does not do and that is collecting the liquid to water your pot plants. But the liquid goes directly into the soil so this is, in fact, one less chore for me.

And if you harvest the soil from them you can use this soil in your pot plants providing them with the nutrients that you would get from worm tea.

Or you can soak the collected soil and make compost tea yourself if you have the time.

It is small – this is so it decomposes quicker, is hidden in your garden and takes up no space

You cannot fail at composting with this system

The Compot is the most versatile way to compost but:

You have to dig one hole per pot

You have to bend down unless you have raised garden beds

You can’t really use them for yard waste except for grass clipping and leaves on top to cover it which actually helps break down the grass clippings.

There are now a number of commercial direct composters on the market that you have no doubt seen and I know many of you have tried.

I have had lots of feedback of these products from people I talk to at the trade shows.

They do work the same way to a point, but not quite, and some of them go beneath the root zone of the plants, which means you have a big hole to dig, and the nutrients are lost below the 30 cm zone unless you have deep-rooted plants.

Others are not aerated the same way.

Others are hard to harvest the soil.

Others are bio-degradable so you have to keep buying them.

And almost all of them are visible in your garden and you can’t mow over them or propagate with them.
But in the end, it is your choice.

I just hope some of this information helps in making the right decision for you on a composter that is going to give you years of joy and a beautiful garden.

Pros & Cons of EMO Composting

This system requires only one of the composting elements listed in 8 Composting Methods; this is the addition of the EMO’s (Effective Micro-Organisms) and a closed method of composting.
The pros and cons are intermingled because what might be a pro to one person is a con to someone else. Bokashi is the standard system for EMO composting.
Like the other systems it too has its own different challenges;

Once you fill it you have to let it sit until it has all decomposed. Therefore…

You need two, so while one is decomposing you fill up the other one. This might be an issue in a unit but it all depends on how much space you have.

Waste is acidic when first buried and can’t be placed close to plants because it might burn the roots of the plants.

The waste in the garden takes 7 to 10 days to neutralize. This is not an issue if you bury the waste in an appropriate place

You must ensure the lid is closed while it is decomposing

If it is not closed properly it can cause a problem with bugs inside the house

The process is not super fast as it relies on Bacteria only to break down the waste

It takes up space in your kitchen or shed or on your balcony. Not a big deal if you have space

It requires a new hole to be dug each time it is emptied

It is however great for unit owners but where do they put the waste once decomposed? Do you send it off to council tips or bury it in the community gardens of the unit complex.

I say get a Compot to compliment the Bokashi. This way you only have one hole to dig to fill with your fresh Bokashi waste. Move the pot around the garden every 6 months to a year so you don’t have to dig as many holes as you did before. The best of both worlds and you can use the Compot to fill with all the scraps that you can’t put in the Bokashi.

So the Bokashi is great for units and great if you have a Compot but on its own

Pros & Cons of Worm Farm Composting

Worm farm systems require some of the composting elements listed in 8 Composting Methods, (but not all); carbon and nitrogen to a degree, air, water and worm friendly scraps. The pros and cons are intermingled because what might be a pro to one person is a con to someone else. This method brings with it some great rewards of beautiful composted soil. However;

In-Ground Composter Comparison Guide

In-ground composter comparison guide takes a quick look at several composters now available on the market.

The old tried and true method of composting directly in the ground has been made easier by the use of in-ground composters. This saves time and effort in digging holes around the garden and in some cases is more efficient.

The comparison is based on my own experiences and information given to me by my customers who have tried many of these methods. Of course, what might suit one person does not suit another as we all have different needs and ways of using things to get results we expect in the garden.

Feel free to add comments if you have found any different results from any of these methods. It all helps other people in their decision-making process of choosing a composter.

They all have a place in our gardens. It is up to you which one you choose.

12 Things to Consider when Choosing a Composter

1. What is it you hate about composting?

a. The time it takes to manage some composters – and/or it’s a chore
b. The smell some composters produce
c. The difficulty with getting the right nitrogen/carbon mix
d. Don’t like big composters taking up space or being visible in the garden
e. The vermin they attract – flies and rats or snakes nesting inside them
f. The continuous cost of an extra product to make some composters work

2. What do you want to achieve by composting?
Or – What do you like about Composting.

a. Produce soil to use for growing veggies and ornamental plants
b. Don’t want to use fertilizers in your garden
c. Prefer a more organic system
d. Want to help the environment
e. Just want good soil in your backyard
f. Hate throwing your waste in the council bin or
g. Storing overnight in a freezer
h. Hate smelly council bins

4. Do you have animals that get a portion or all of your waste?

5. How much time do you have to compost?

a. Your time is your own – unlimited (retired perhaps)
b. You have some time but prefer to use it for gardening or other activities
c. You are too busy to compost
d. You have children that can do it for you

6. Do you grow or want to grow vegetables?

a. You want to grow your own vegetables
b. You already grow your own vegetables
c. You want to teach the kids how to grow their own vegetables
d. You have not had much success with propagating and growing your own food